


Making a Home

by LeisurelyPanda



Series: Tumblr Prompts [5]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alpha Sam Wilson, Alpha Thor (Marvel), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Bartender Steve Rogers, Biting, Bucky Barnes Is a Good Bro, Businessman Thor (Marvel), Courtship through Food, Don't copy to another site, Drinking, Falling In Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Long-Distance Relationship, Love Confessions, M/M, Making Love, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Misunderstandings, Omega Bucky Barnes, Omega Steve Rogers, Paganism, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Strangers to Friends, courting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2020-01-06 14:34:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18390365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeisurelyPanda/pseuds/LeisurelyPanda
Summary: Prompt: Hmmmm it's hard to pick something honestly and I don't send others ask about writing something very often so I have no idea what to ask for lol surprise me?Or, 5 times Steve gave Thor a place to stay for the night and 1 time Thor stayed after.





	Making a Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mom_Nicole](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mom_Nicole/gifts).



> For the lovely Mom_Nicole who is awesome and a great friend! Surprise! <3

December 18th, 2018

It was almost 3 in the morning by the time Steve managed to make it out of the bar. At least tonight was relatively busy as well as relatively uneventful. There were the folks there to drown their sorrows until Steve cut them off. There were others celebrating birthdays or such. No frat boys, though, thankfully. Major colleges were good for business outside the city, but Steve found that the frat boys who ventured out of their houses often stirred up the most trouble. He was a big guy, but there was only so much he was capable of. 

He sighed and lit a cigarette. He just needed it to stay awake long enough for him to get home as soon as he was back, he’d go right to sleep. He didn’t have to work tomorrow and he was looking forward to getting stuff done and relaxing a bit. He took a deep drag through his cigarette and blew the smoke out. It formed an enormous cloud in the frosty night, mingling with the stars overhead. 

Steve loved the stars. It was half the reason why he moved away from New York to Saratoga Springs. There was something magical about the night sky. The other half was that his ma died. After that, he couldn’t stay anymore. Logically, Steve knew that an omega alone at night, even one like him, was risky, but he always took a moment to look at the stars when they were out. 

He finished his cigarette and tossed it in the nearest trash can before he got into the car. It sputtered to life and Steve thanked whatever deity was in charge of such things. He drove out of the parking lot and started the drive home. 

Steve’s grandma had apparently left him a house. It was why he had come here instead of heading somewhere else. It wasn’t much, just an old house that had been in the family for about 100 years. It had needed updating when Steve got here a year ago, but now it was a fully functioning modern house. It was a bit on the small side, but Steve lived alone, so it was okay.

He parked the car in the driveway and locked it as he got out. He walked towards the house. 

“Good evening,” came a deep voice. Steve jumped around and caught sight of a large man with broad shoulders. “Nice night for a stroll, wouldn’t you agree?” 

Steve bristled. He might be an omega, but he could fight. This one, though, it probably didn’t matter what his designation was. He’d be a match for Steve. He was a few inches taller and had a more muscle. 

“Can I help you?” he said, inching towards his house. He got his phone in his pocket and prepared to dial 911 just in case. “It’s been a long night and I really just want to go to sleep.” 

“I think you can,” the man said. He took a couple steps forward. “You see, I’ve lost my way and I was wondering if you could tell me how to get to the interstate.” He gestured to a car parked along the side of the road across the street. Steve didn’t recognize it. “I was trying to make it into Canada by night, but I was waylaid. Could you help me?” 

“You got lost?” Steve asked. “While driving in the middle of the night?” 

“I was hoping to make it to Canada sooner, but I got turned around,” the man explained. “Please, if you could help me, it would mean so much. It is a cold night and the sooner I know where I am going the sooner I will be out of your hair. I am visiting family over the holidays.” 

“Why didn’t you stop for the night?” Steve asked. 

“Alas, I didn’t count on getting lost,” he replied. “Had I thought of that, I might have made sure that I could afford to find a place to stay.” 

Steve shrugged. The story seemed plausible enough and if he was from a ways away, he might’ve been driving all day. And if anything untoward happened, there was the shotgun on the wall. 

“Yeah, sure, come in,” Steve said. “I’ll get you something and help you out.” 

The man smiled. “That is kind of you,” he replied. He held out a hand gloved. “I am Thor.” 

“Steve,” Steve replied. He took the hand and shook it, somewhat surprised at how firm the man’s grip was. “Let me just get my keys here.” 

Steve went up to the front door and opened it. He stepped inside, took his shoes off, and hung his coat up by the door. Thor followed him soon after. Steve took the sight of him in. He was tall with sun-kissed skin, with a broad, muscular build. Long blond hair fell down each side of his face in neat strands. His face was friendly and the smile that bloomed on his face when he looked at Steve was easy. 

Steve found himself drawn to him, like this stranger had some kind of magnetic power over him. He was an alpha. Steve could smell it on him. He smelled like pine forests and iron and ozone and… blood. It was almost hypnotic, how appealing the scent was. He’d heard that people who very strongly compatible sometimes felt that way about each other’s scents. He never believed it. 

I wonder if he was a soldier, Steve thought. People’s scents sometimes changed depending on their job. Steve had been told that his scent smelled a bit more like mulled wine since he started working at the bar. 

He booted up his computer and together, he and Thor found a map that could take him across the border to Canada relatively easily. This close, Steve found it hard to focus on anything else. Thor made him want to tilt his head back and submit, bare his throat and everything Steve had prided himself on not doing just because someone was an alpha. He made himself study the map. Canada was pretty far and Montreal. It would take another 3 hours or so to get there. By then, it would be almost dawn. 

“Why don’t you stay here for the night?” Steve said. “It’s late and you shouldn’t be out driving if you’ve been at it all day.” 

Thor smiled wearily. “I could not ask you to do this for me,” Thor said. “I barely know you and I have no way of paying you.” 

Steve smiled. “You didn’t ask,” he replied. “I offered. I have a spare room upstairs with lots of blankets.” 

Thor frowned. “I cannot simply accept your hospitality,” he said. “You must have something in return.” 

“You just said that there’s nothing you pay me with,” Steve replied. “It’s fine, just… stay for tonight, okay?” 

Thor hesitated, but nodded eventually. “Very well. Thank you, Steve.” 

* * *

Steve slept like the dead. He was honestly surprised he slept so well, considering that there was an alpha in the house to whom Steve was so strongly attracted to. He made his nest the previous night and slept right in the middle, curled around all his favorite old blankets and pillows. It was his safe space, this nest. 

It wasn’t until he smelled the scent of cooking food that rose. Sunlight streamed through the windows, cold and clear like it usually was in the winter. He could smell… oh he could smell cinnamon rolls. He moaned and his stomach growled loudly as he rolled out of bed. 

Thor stood at the stove. He hummed along as he worked at the stove. In addition to the cinnamon rolls, Steve found that there was also a bowl of eggs and a skillet full of sausage. It smelled incredible. 

“Morning,” he said. Thor turned around and smiled. “What’s all this? Because I know that I didn’t have any of this in my fridge earlier.” 

“Ah, well, my family enjoys sustainable farming,” Thor explained. “We grow our own food and exchange it over the holidays. I work as a butcher, so I bring meats.” 

“That doesn’t explain the cinnamon rolls,” Steve said. He plucked an orange out of his fridge. “Unless you’re telling me that they come from cinnamon cows or something.” 

Thor chuckled. “No, that I had to leave and acquire from the store,” he said. “It is the only way I have of thanking you for your hospitality.”

Steve smiled and sat down at the table while Thor divvied out the food. They ate in surprising comfort. Thor talked about his family’s holiday traditions. They would go out in the morning to hunt on Christmas Eve. If they succeeded in finding a deer, that was their Christmas dinner. If they did not, they slaughtered an animal. It was apparently some kind of pagan thing, killing an animal and offering it up as a sacrifice in the hopes of good fortune. It was certainly lively. 

Steve told Thor about growing up in Brooklyn. He kept his traditions alive and usually went down to New York to spend Christmas with friends he still had in the area. His friend Bucky and his alpha, Sam, were thinking of moving up to Saratoga Springs with him. 

“It’d be nice to see them more often,” Steve said. 

“They are good friends, then?” Thor asked. 

“Yeah, Bucky was my best friend growing up we met Sam in high school,” Steve said. “They’re mated, now, and apparently thinking of starting a family.” 

Thor smiled. “That is wonderful for them,” he said. Steve smiled. 

“They’ll be here for New Years,” Steve said. “They figured if they’re gonna move up here, they should take a look around first, see what the market is like.” 

“Sensible,” Thor replied. 

“You’re welcome to stay again if you’re passing by,” Steve said. 

Thor blinked and smiled. “Thank you,” he said. “I would like that.” 

* * *

December 31st, 2018

Steve almost jumped out of his skin when there was a knock at the door. Normally, he would’ve been at the bar for New Years, but Pietro had offered to take his place so he could spend more time with his friends. He, Bucky, and Sam were all catching up and drinking beers in the living room when it happened. It was almost 7, so it wasn’t like it was a strange time to be getting visitors. 

“You expecting someone?” Sam asked. 

“Nah, probably just the neighbor borrowing sugar or something,” Steve said. He got up and opened the door. “Thor!” 

Thor smiled sheepishly and held up a completely dead phone. “I apologize for the suddenness,” he said. “Is… your offer still available?” 

“Yeah, of course, come in!” Steve said. He led Thor to the living room. “Guys, this is Thor, the guy I was telling you about. Thor, this is Bucky and Sam.” 

“Hey, Thor,” Sam said, holding up a beer in a salute. 

“Stevie, we need to talk about you letting strange alphas in your home at night,” Bucky said. 

“Nothing happened, Buck,” Steve said. “Thor, do you want a beer? They’re from a local brewery.” 

“I would love some, thank you,” Thor replied. He was sitting down on the couch when Steve returned. Steve sat next to him and suddenly felt very aware of how close there were sitting together. 

“So Thor, where are you from?” Bucky asked. 

“I am from outside Baltimore,” Thor said. “I own a butcher’s in the city and my meat is locally sourced.” 

“A butcher, really?” Sam asked. “Steve mentioned something like that. Said you made him a pretty mean breakfast with some of your stuff.” 

Steve cleared his throat. “I’m sure if Thor has meat, then he already has plans of his own,” he said pointedly. 

“It is all right,” Thor said. “I had planned to cook for you and your friends, anyway.” 

“What, really?” Steve asked. 

“Yes,” Thor said with a smile. He produced a cooler and pulled it back revealing fresh meat perfectly preserved and ready to cook. “But if you do not want this freshly butchered, beautifully marbled sirloin steak, I am sure that I could find some other purpose for it.” 

“Steve,” Bucky said. “You’re keeping him, right?” 

Steve laughed nervously and blushed. “Just for tonight, I think,” he said. 

“Yes, I need to get back home tomorrow,” Thor said. “It has already been two weeks and I must return.” 

“Well, you’re welcome to stay for the night,” Steve said. “And you’re more than welcome to cook us food. We haven’t started dinner yet.”

“Well, allow me to remedy that,” Thor said with a wide smile. He stood up and walked to the kitchen. Steve definitely did not watch his ass, or admire the way that his jeans hugged it as he walked out of the room, or the confidence and strength with which he moved. 

“Stevie,” Bucky said. He had that devilish look in his eye. “Why don’t you go see if he needs some help?” 

Steve blushed a little bit. “I think he’s fine,” Steve said. 

“Steve,” Bucky repeated. “The nice alpha is making you _food_. If nothing else you could at least get some action or something.” 

“I’m not going to take advantage of my guest, Buck,” Steve said, his mouth twisting in a look of disapproval. 

“Sure, but maybe he’s right about something,” Sam said. “Maybe you’ll make a connection if you offer to help. You don’t gotta have sex with him, but it might be nice.” 

“What about you guys?” Steve asked. “You’re my friends.”

“We’ll be here when dinner is done, punk,” Bucky said. “Now go!”

Steve rolled his eyes and got up. He walked into the kitchen to see Thor with four beautifully, thick steaks on a pair of plates. He turned around and smiled as Steve approached. 

“Ah, good, you’re here,” Thor said. “Do you have any cast iron pans?” 

Steve blinked and opened the stove. He took out two large cast iron pans and presented them to Thor. 

“Excellent! Thank you,” Thor smiled. The room was filled with the smell of happy alpha and Steve purred in response. 

“Do you… need any more help with anything?” Steve asked. “I can help you… cook or something?” 

Thor blinked and regarded him for a moment before he smiled gently and nodded. 

“Do you have potatoes?” he asked. Steve snorted and went to the pantry. He produced a full 10 pound bag of potatoes somewhat proudly. 

“My family is Irish,” he said. “We always had potatoes growing up. I almost don’t know how to cook without them.” 

“Well, that is good, then,” Thor said with a laugh. “I assume I don’t need to tell you how to peel them, then.” 

They worked easily together, the rhythm coming to them as naturally as rain and wind. Thor showed him how to season steaks and how to tell good quality ones from cheap ones. Of course, it turned out that butchers had the best meat, but that was hardly surprising. Steve in turn, showed Thor his recipe for mashed potatoes. 

“Do you always put so much cream and butter in them?” Thor asked. 

“Only for holidays and special occasions,” Steve said. “Most of the time my folks were much more conservative about this stuff.” 

Thor also roasted a pan of onions, mushrooms, and butternut squash before he turned the oven up to 500 degrees. He put the pans in by themselves. It was, he claimed, to get the metal hot so that the steak would sear and cook quickly, making it easy to make perfectly rare steaks. Sure enough, when they came out of the oven they were brown, the meat had a light char, and the meat bled like a perfectly rare steak should. 

“I think I’m in love with this steak,” Steve moaned. Thor chuckled. 

“Well, I wish you many years of happiness and a… fruitful union,” Thor said. “As for me, I will do as nature intended and eat mine.” 

The four of them crowded around in the dining room and enjoyed one of the most delicious meals Steve had ever had. Bucky and Sam raved about it as well, but Thor seemed to pay most of his attention to Steve. He didn’t know what it meant but he appreciated the attention from the nice alpha who cooked good food. 

After the four of them rang in the New Year, Bucky and Sam went upstairs to the guest room. Steve brought some blankets downstairs to Thor who settled in on the couch. 

“Thanks for dinner, Thor,” Steve said. 

“You are welcome, it was my pleasure,” Thor said with a smile. “I should get some sleep. I have a long drive tomorrow.” 

Steve smiled. “If I don’t see you in the morning, I hope you have a safe drive,” he said. “And… maybe we can talk sometime?” 

Thor’s smile grew. “I would like that, Steve.” 

* * *

April 19th, 2019

Easter was late this year. It was almost strange that it hadn’t come yet. Steve wasn’t necessarily religious, but with Bucky and Sam having bought a house, there was a housewarming party coming up and Easter Sunday was as good a day as any to have a party. 

That wasn’t why Steve was bustling about, though. Thor was coming. Bucky had asked Steve to extend Thor an invitation to come help with the housewarming party. Steve did, but he’d never expected for him to actually say yes. So now, Thor was coming and needed a place to stay. He was arriving tomorrow morning and Steve wanted everything to be perfect. 

On a logical level, Steve knew that Thor had stayed twice before after just showing up. He knew that they had made the plan a couple weeks ago. He knew that Thor knew what Steve’s house looked like. Still, there was some part of Steve that wanted everything to be perfect for Thor. 

Thor was… a good guy. They hadn’t seen each other in since New Year’s, but they had been in touch through texting and Skype. At first it was just once a week, but now, Steve was texting him every day and they Skyped several times a week. They talked about everything, from sports to politics to art to religion to family. 

Thor knew that Steve was an only child and that his parents and grandparents were all dead. Steve knew that Thor’s entire family was pagan, that he was the middle child with an older sister and a younger brother, and that he had dual citizenship in both Canada and the United States. 

Steve was old enough to know what it was that he was feeling for Thor. The only strange thing was that Steve had only met Thor twice. And yet, he couldn’t get Thor’s scent out of his nose. Thor made him feel happy and light, the way he smiled, the way he listened to Steve when he was going through something. Steve couldn’t remember the last time he was interested in an alpha who actually made him feel that way. 

It was probably nothing.

* * *

Thor arrived early the next day with an arm full of food and a backpack slung over his shoulder. Steve actually laughed when he saw the burly alpha prepared to cook food yet again. 

“You know you don’t have to cook food every time you come see me,” Steve said with a grin. Thor chuckled. 

“Yes, but I figure that by now it is tradition,” Thor replied. “Besides, I enjoy cooking and you happen to invite me on major cooking holidays.” 

“Technically you invited yourself over the last couple times,” Steve countered. 

“In which case providing food was only polite,” Thor said. “Now, I have everything we need for what I’ve heard is an authentic Easter dinner.” 

“Ham?” 

“Ham? No, I brought lamb,” Thor said. “I have a recipe for plum-glazed lamb.” 

“Oh, Jesus,” Steve moaned. “Bucky is gonna love you. Plum is his favorite.” 

“Well, a happy coincidence, then,” Thor replied. He took a hat out of his backpack and handed it to Steve. “Ready to be my sous chef?” 

Steve smiled. “Let’s get started.” 

* * *

Steve was learning more about cooking from the brief bit of time he spent with Thor than he had in the 20 some years he’d spent growing up in New York. He’d always thought that he was just not that great at cooking if it wasn’t something he and his ma made, but Thor was patient and knowledgeable. The lamb smelled amazing by the time Thor was done. 

Steve also made a red potato casserole that was, again, heavy on cream and butter, much to Thor’s amusement. 

“Do you make anything that does not involve something Paula Deen would make?” Thor asked. 

“Shut up, I’m Irish,” Steve drawled.

“My apologies, Paula _Mc_ Deen,” Thor said. Steve slapped him with the towel and Thor laughed. 

“Asshole,” Steve said, though he couldn’t keep the grin from his face. “Why am I friends with you, again?” 

In lieu of answer, Thor sliced a small bit of the lamb off and held it in front of Steve’s face. Steve accepted it and moaned loudly as the tender meat exploded with flavor on his tongue. The meat combined perfectly with the sweet tanginess of the plum glaze. 

“Fuck, forget Bucky, I think I might love you,” Steve said. He snapped his mouth shut and blushed as he heard what he’d just said. “Uh…” 

Thor blushed, too, but turned away. He smelled pleased, though. Steve turned around, too and focused on… washing dishes. He couldn’t take advantage of Thor. If anything happened and the friendship ended, he’d be devastated. 

When the food was done and dishes were washed, they piled the food carefully in the car and started driving down the street to Bucky and Sam’s new place. They had managed to find a nice place close to where Steve lived, not even a quarter mile away. It was convenient and sometimes weird to have neighbors, but the concept was starting to grow on Steve. 

“Thor!” Sam greeted cheerfully when they arrived. “Glad you could come, man! It’s good to see you.” 

“And you, Sam,” Thor said as he clapped Sam on the back in a display of alpha camaraderie. “I was pleased that you thought to invite me.” 

“Of course, man, of course,” Sam said. “We invited some people from New York, too, but they couldn’t make it.” 

“What of your new neighbors?” Thor asked. 

“Turns out that the day before Easter isn’t usually a day when people go have dinner with other folks,” Sam said easily. “They’re friendly people so far, though.” 

They went inside and set the food down at the table. The table was set with glazed carrots, green beans, and a soufflé that had all the signs of Bucky’s hand in it. Baking was the only kind of cooking he was any good at. 

“Goddamn, somethin’ smells good,” Bucky moaned. He took the dish with the lamb and sniffed. “Fuck, I smell plums.” 

“And lamb, Buck,” Steve said. “Thor made it.” 

“Marry me,” Bucky said. Sam growled without heat and Bucky flipped him off. “You make me fancy food with plums in it and you can claim me back.” 

“As charming as that would be,” Thor chuckled. “I am afraid I am not looking for a mate at this time.”

The words lanced through Steve’s heart and he busied himself with setting the table. The new place was bare. Sam and Bucky were still in the middle of unpacking, but the dishes were easy enough to find. 

“Right, well, I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m starving,” Steve announced. “Are we gonna warm Bucky and Sam’s new house or what?” 

* * *

July 4th, 2019

For once, Steve was glad that it was his birthday. The hustle and bustle of New York was sort of maddening around the 4th. People from all over the country came and crowded the already huge city to watch fireworks or go to Coney Island or take pictures of the Statue of Liberty. Here, it was still everywhere, but it was a little easier to appreciate. 

It also helped that Bucky and Sam were here and all moved in. And there was the fact that it was raining. 

In fact, it was a torrential downpour. There was thunder and lightning and wind, the whole nine yards. Bucky and Sam were over and they were watching the Mets. Sam and Steve drank some beers, but Bucky was oddly avoidant today. Maybe he wasn’t feeling it. 

It was a quiet and low-key day, just how Steve liked for his birthday to be. Eventually, Sam left to get them pizza and Bucky got up to sit next to Steve. 

“Hey, I got somethin’ to tell you,” he said. He took Steve’s hand and squeezed it. “It’s an omega thing.” 

“Okay,” Steve said, furrowing his brow. “Are you okay?” 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” Bucky said. He smiled with equal parts nervousness and excitement. “I’m pregnant.” 

Steve broke into a smile and he hugged Bucky excitedly. “Oh my God, Buck!” he cried. “Congratulations!”

Bucky laughed with relief. “Sam doesn’t know,” he said. “I don’t know if my scent has started to change yet.” 

Steve scented him. There were… slight differences. Bucky smelled like mint and chocolate and the moment right before it started to snow on a normal day. Now… there was something else. Bucky smelled slightly sweeter than normal. 

“A little bit,” Steve said. “Sam might not have noticed. “How long have you known?”

“I found out a couple days ago,” Bucky said. “I’m… kinda nervous to tell him. I mean, what if somethin’ goes wrong?” 

“Well, whatever you do, you know you can talk to me,” Steve said. 

“Yeah, of course, ya punk,” Bucky said. “How long have we been friends, again?” 

Steve blushed and ducked his head as he laughed. Bucky lay his head on Steve’s shoulder and they turned their attention back to the game. Bucky smelled happy and content and Steve found that he felt the same way. 

“I want you to be their godfather,” Bucky said. “The pup, when they’re born.”

Steve smiled widely. “I’d be honored to be their godfather,” Steve said. “I’m happy for ya, Buck.” 

Bucky purred. Steve purred, too, until Sam got back, who immediately took in the scene before him and chose to let them be. He was kind enough to deliver their own pizza to them, though. 

* * *

Later that night, Steve was in his pajamas about to go through his nightly ablutions. He hadn’t heard from Thor all day, which was fine. It didn’t feel nice to be ignored on his birthday, but Thor was a busy man with a successful butchering business. The 4th was probably a busy day for him, selling fancy steaks and stuff to rich people too good to buy a good old hotdog. 

At that moment, the doorbell rang. Steve groaned and went downstairs because in the months that he’d been neighbors with Bucky and Sam, they had turned out to call on him at all hours just like when they lived in Brooklyn. He opened the door without checking to find Thor standing on his front porch absolutely soaking wet. 

“Thor!” Steve cried. He blinked a couple times. “What are you doing here?” 

“It is your birthday,” Thor said, as though driving 6 or more hours for solely that reason was the most rational thing in the world. “I wanted to help celebrate, but I could not leave my store before it closed.” 

Steve smiled. He smiled big and blushed because honestly that was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to him. Thor held up a bottle of champagne. 

“May I come in?” 

“Always,” Steve said. 

* * *

November 29th, 2019

Steve loved Thanksgiving. It was arguably his favorite holiday of the year. It was less commercialized than Christmas, which kept encroaching on the rest of the year. Bucky and Sam’s families had come up to their new home, since Bucky was pregnant and everything. It was only the second trimester, but both the Barnes and the Wilson families had insisted on visiting them in New York. 

It had been lively, that was for sure. The Barnes family was Italian, very Italian. There was lots of cooking and passion and loud voices. Sam’s family was from Virginia and just as loud and just as passionate. Steve had sequestered himself in one corner of the living room and watched as the family gathering descended into something resembling a friendly war zone. 

He got the feeling that each of the families had been trying to outdo each other for the holiday. Bucky was sat on the couch for the day by George, his omega father, while his alpha mother, Winifred, drew up a battle plan to ensure that the dinner was ready on time. Steve presented her with his gigantic pot of mashed potatoes and claimed that his contribution to the dinner was done and joined Bucky on the couch. 

For black Friday to actually be a bit of a reprieve from Thanksgiving was a little bit shocking, actually. Steve was getting ready to work at the bar, actually. Holidays were always good for business, after all. 

The night was good. There were the relatives in from town who wanted the place to help them get through the weekend. There were the brave shoppers who had decided to dare the capitalist trap of the day who were nursing their wounds or celebrating their victories. There were the other local usual sorts and a few others who just wanted to get drunk. 

During a slow part of the night, Steve spotted a familiar face. He smiled as Thor took a seat at the bar and smiled back at him. Steve walked up to him. 

“You come here often?” he asked. Thor laughed at the meager attempt at flirting. 

“I wish I came more often,” he said. “But I make it when I can.” 

“You really gotta get better at letting me know when you’re gonna be in town,” Steve said with a chuckle. “Seriously, of all the times we’ve met, you’ve only ever let me know that you were coming once.” 

“Well, you were hardly surprised the second time,” Thor replied. “And it couldn’t be a birthday surprise if you knew about it.” 

Steve smiled and reached across the counter to take Thor’s hand. In all these months, his feelings for Thor had yet to diminish. Every time they talked on Skype, Steve’s heart fluttered. It had crushed him to hear that Thor wasn’t looking for a significant other back in April and Steve hadn’t brought it up since. Still, he couldn’t help but love the guy. 

“It’s good to see you, Thor,” he said. 

“And you, Steve,” Thor replied with a smile. “It didn’t feel like a holiday without you.” 

Steve laughed, but his heart swelled with happiness and pride. Alpha liked him. Alpha missed him. Alpha wanted to be around him. It was the best feeling in the world when Thor said things like that. 

“You mean, it didn’t feel like a holiday without you crashing my porch for a place to sleep?” Steve said with a grin. Thor bared his teeth playfully and growled. Steve laughed. 

“Hey, bartender!” some beta woman shouted. “Quit makin’ eyes with your boyfriend and get me a refill!” 

Steve rolled his eyes and grabbed a fifth of vodka that she seemed especially fond of tonight. “Can I get you anything?” he asked Thor. 

“I wouldn’t say no to some whiskey,” Thor said. 

“Good choice,” Steve said. “Be right back.” 

The night went on. Thor got one refill of his whiskey and helped Steve with any unruly, drunken troublemakers that reared their ugly head. By the time the bar closed, Thor was the only one left and walked with Steve out the door. 

“Thanks for staying,” Steve said. “Sometimes people get ideas after hours.” 

“I am sure you would be able to handle them,” Thor said. “You are hardly a shrinking violet.” 

“Damn right,” Steve chuckled. “You want a ride back to my place or did you drive?” 

“I’ll follow you, if that’s all right,” Thor replied. 

“Of course it is,” Steve said. He stepped close to Thor and hugged him. “You’re always welcome.” 

Thor gave a pleased rumble and Steve had to fight to keep his omega instincts from screaming for him to submit. He did purr, though, and they held each other a little longer than usual. 

Thor was quiet when they got home. Steve got himself a couple of beers to help him relax from the long shift and sat down with Thor. They sat together on the couch. 

“I was wondering,” Thor began after a while. 

“Yeah?” 

“You’ve never mentioned there being anyone in your life,” Thor said. 

“Yeah…” Steve answered. 

“Is there… someone?” Thor asked. “We’ve talked a lot over the past year, it simply seems… interesting that you’ve never mentioned anyone.” 

Every cell of Steve’s body wanted to scream, to say that he was, that he was looking for someone, for the right someone to come along for him to date, to love. He wanted to tell Thor that he wanted someone to be interested in him the way he hadn’t found in years. 

“Yeah, there’s someone,” he said. Thor’s face fell and he downed the rest of the beer. 

“Thank you, I should get to bed,” he said. He went upstairs. Steve watched him go and there was nothing left but him and the subtle smell of sad alpha left behind. 

* * *

December 18th, 2019

The year anniversary of his meeting Thor was bittersweet. Steve hadn’t heard from Thor in much over the past couple weeks. He was suddenly busy, needed to work on something at his shop, or he had plans with friends, or he had business to take care of or something. Steve didn’t know what it was, but he felt sad. He missed their chats, missed seeing his face. 

He tried not to think about it too much. Nothing between them could’ve ever worked, anyway. Probably. 

Bucky came over to his house to help him decorate for Christmas one day. Steve was glad for the company. Bucky smelled sweet and comforting and it helped distract him from his issues to have his friend there to take care of and work with. 

“Stevie, I swear to God, I’m still capable of getting up by myself,” Bucky said. “Just… takes a little longer these days.” 

“Sure. Right. Sorry,” Steve replied. 

“What’s up with you, anyway?” Bucky asked. “You’ve been puttin’ out sad vibes for weeks, now.” 

Steve ducked his head. “I don’t know,” he said.

“It’s Thor, isn’t it?” Bucky asked. “Why don’t you just tell him how you feel?” 

“What would be the point?” Steve demanded. “He said he’s not looking for anyone. He’s never talked about looking for anyone. He lives in Maryland, why the hell would he date someone in upstate _New York_?” 

“I don’t know, but you never know, right?” Bucky countered. “And he said that back in April, Steve. It’s been months! Maybe he changed his mind or something. Maybe you being halfway between his home and his folks in Montreal isn’t a deal breaker.” 

Steve sighed. “Maybe,” he said. “Maybe not. All I know is that last time he was here, he asked if there was someone in my life and I said yes.” 

Bucky stared at him. “Why the hell did you say that?” 

“Because it’s not exactly wrong!” Steve said. 

“It’s not exactly the truth, either!” Bucky replied. He sniffled and Steve saw tears in his eyes. He immediately went over to throw an arm around Bucky’s shoulders. “Dammit, Stevie, I just wanna see you happy, all right?” 

Steve sighed. “I know.” 

“You’re really happy with Thor,” Bucky said. He sniffed as he got his emotions under control. “Why won’t you give him a damn chance?” 

Steve hung his head in resignation. He fished his phone out of his pocket and went to Thor’s contact. His thumb hovered over the call button. What if he was busy again? What if… he didn’t want to be around Steve anymore? What if Steve fucked everything up?

Eventually, he decided to just do it and he pushed the button. The phone rang for several seconds. Steve’s heart hammered in his chest the entire time. Finally, he heard the line pick up. 

“Steve?” Thor asked. “What is it?” 

“Thor,” Steve said thickly. His voice seized up and he couldn’t talk. 

“Steve, is something wrong?” Thor asked. “I’m sorry I haven’t been available lately. I have… been going through something.” 

“It’s fine,” Steve said. “You… you wanna come up?” 

“You are inviting me to stay at your house?” Thor asked. 

“Yeah,” Steve said. “It’s the anniversary of the night we met. I thought… it would be nice to see you, is all.” 

There was a long, pregnant silence on the other end of the phone. Steve prayed silently that he would say yes. He wanted, needed to see Thor again. 

“I will be there,” Thor said. “It may take me some time, though.” 

Steve chuckled. “Thank you,” he said. “I’ll see you later, okay?” 

“Thank you, Steve,” Thor replied. He hung up. 

* * *

At 2 in the morning, Steve’s doorbell rang. He bolted up off the couch and dashed to the door. He flung it open and there he was. Thor, looking tired and smelling happy and seeming maybe a little hopeful. Steve smiled as he saw him and a wave of relief washed over him. 

“You wanna come in?” Steve asked. Thor smiled and stepped inside. As soon as the door was shut behind him, Thor pressed Steve up against the door and captured his lips in a passionate, desperate, needy kiss. Steve hummed in surprise but kissed Thor back eagerly. It had been a while, but his lips seemed to remember what they were doing. They slotted against each other perfectly before Thor pulled back. 

“I’m sorry,” he said. His voice was thick, as though he had been crying. “I know there is someone else, but I had to do that, just once.” 

“Thor… what?” Steve asked. His mind was still catching up, his lungs were breathing deeply. 

“I hope that whoever it is gives you the greatest happiness, Steve,” Thor said sadly. 

“Stop,” Steve said. “Just stop, okay? What is going on here?” 

Thor looked down in anguish at Steve’s face. “Is it not obvious?” Thor asked. He caressed Steve’s face gently. “I love you, Steven Grant Rogers.” 

Everything stopped. Steve’s heart, the moon and stars overhead, the breath in his lungs, the blood in his veins, everything pulled to a screeching halt like Joshua had stopped the sun in the Bible. Steve stared at Thor in amazement. 

“You… do?” he asked. Thor smiled sadly and pressed another gentle kiss to Steve’s lips. 

“I do. I have for a long time,” he said. “I should have known that someone as good and perfect as you would have been beyond me.” 

“But… but you said that you weren’t looking for anyone,” Steve protested. “Back in April, I remember.” 

Thor took Steve’s face in his hands. “How could I look at anyone else when you are here?” 

Steve surged forward and kissed Thor again. It was deep and passionate, an entire year of attraction and longing suddenly unleashed like a stampede. He kissed Thor so hard and so passionately that by the time he pulled back, he was completely breathless. 

“I love you, too,” Steve murmured. “It’s always been you, Thor.” 

“Really?” Thor asked with a brilliant smile. “You desire me?” 

“Thor,” Steve said. “Before you, this was just a house. It was a nice house, but still. Every moment that you’ve spent here made it feel like a home.” 

Thor’s gaze grew soft as he kissed Steve again. Steve kissed him back and it slowly deepened. After a while, the touch grew heated and Thor growled softly. 

“Omega,” Thor rumbled deeply. The vibrations swept through Steve’s body and he gasped. “Be mine, please.” 

“You mean… mates?” Steve asked. 

“Mates,” Thor said. “I have not spent a single moment since we met not thinking of you. All I want is you, whatever you would consent to give me.” 

“Alpha,” Steve murmured. “I’ve wanted to be yours from the moment we met. Please…” 

“Say it, my love,” Thor said lowly. His voice was almost a growl. 

“Mate me,” Steve breathed. Thor bent down and grabbed Steve by the thighs. Steve gasped and he wrapped his legs around Thor’s body as they kissed again. He moaned and yielded to Thor’s tongue readily. Thor took him upstairs as though he’d done it a thousand times. When they arrived at Steve’s room, he laid Steve out in the center of his nest and looked down at him. 

“My beautiful omega,” he purred. He bent down to kiss Steve’s throat, nipping lightly at his throat. Steve moaned as he threw his head back in submission. “Mine,” Thor murmured. 

“Alpha,” Steve moaned. “Yours, make me yours, please.” 

“You are certain of this?” Thor asked. “You will go into heat if we do this.” 

Steve nodded. “I’ve never wanted anything more,” he said. “You?” 

“My business will survive my being in rut for a few days,” Thor replied with a feral smile. “I am sure that they would be thrilled to hear that I’ve finally made the beautiful omega I’ve told them all about mine.”

Steve smiled and pulled Thor’s shirt off in a bit of a frenzy. Their clothes were tossed haphazardly across the room until they were both naked before each other, their chests pressed together. Thor laid Steve down on the bed on his stomach gently. His mouth ghosted over Steve’s mating glands. 

“I have condoms,” Thor murmured. Steve shook his head. 

“I want pups,” Steve said. “Want you to give me pups. Please, Alpha.”

“Hush, my love,” Thor murmured. “Once I have moved my life here permanently, I will give you as many pups as you desire. I promise.”

“Alpha,” Steve whined. Thor kissed Steve’s mouth and dipped a hand between Steve’s legs. He brushed a finger over Steve’s slick hole and Steve moaned into Thor’s mouth. 

“I promise, omega,” Thor murmured. His finger pressed into Steve’s ass easily and Steve moaned as it breached him. “Tonight, I will give you everything else.” 

Steve purred as Thor worked in him, brushing his callused fingers over his prostate. His other hand stroked up and down along Steve’s spine, finding the places that made Steve moan with abandon. Eventually, they found his nipples and Thor purred as Steve moaned loudly as his nipples were teased. 

“My sweet omega,” Thor murmured. “So wet for me, so sensitive.” 

“Alpha,” Steve gasped. Thor growled and added another finger to Steve’s ass. 

“Are you close, love?” Thor asked. “Will you come for me on your Alpha’s fingers?”

“Yes, Alpha,” Steve moaned. He arched against Thor’s hard, strong body over him. Thor’s free arm wrapped around Steve’s waist and took his cock in hand. He teased his thumb over the slit as he jerked Steve’s cock with sure, practiced ease, like they’d been doing this for years instead for the first time. 

“Come for me, omega,” Thor murmured. “Come for me.” 

Steve whined and pushed back on Thor’s hand. His long, thick fingers reached deep inside him, stroking over Steve’s prostate. His orgasm was coming, he could feel it, built by Thor’s hand. Thor sucked a mark on Steve’s neck and Steve angled his head away to grant him better access. 

“Come, my love,” Thor growled into Steve’s ear. Steve gasped as his orgasm crested like a wave and burst from his body onto the sheets beneath him. Thor rumbled in approval and fucked him through it until Steve was done. 

“More, I need more, Alpha,” Steve moaned. 

“Shh, I’m here,” Thor murmured. He bent down and retrieved a condom from his wallet. He tore the wrapper off and rolled it on over his hard cock. “Ready?” 

“Please,” Steve said with a nod. 

Thor pressed the head of his cock to Steve’s hole and pushed in. Steve gasped and moaned at the stretch. Thor was hung and thick and he filled Steve’s hole so perfectly. He slid inside Steve’s ass in one steady motion. When he was buried to the hilt inside Steve’s body he wrapped his arms around Steve’s body and held him close. 

“Fuck, Thor, feel so good,” Steve moaned. Thor purred over him and kissed his hair lovingly. 

“You feel incredible around me,” Thor said. “You’re so tight and hot, little omega.” 

Steve moaned. “More, more of that,” he whispered. 

Thor grinned against Steve’s temple. “You like being full of big Alpha dick, don’t you? You love being under a big, strong Alpha.” 

_Fuck_ , Steve thought. Thor sucked another mark onto Steve’s neck as he began to thrust into Steve’s tight heat. Steve moaned and pushed back against Thor with every thrust. 

“Oh, fuck,” Steve moaned as Thor’s cock dragged directly over Steve’s prostate. “Oh, God. More, Thor, please.” 

Thor growled and rose up, pinning Steve’s body to the mattress as he pulled his cock out until just the head was in. 

“Mine,” he growled and slammed back into Steve’s ass. “My omega.” Slam. “Beautiful.” Slam. “Tight.” Slam. “Perfect.” 

Steve preened at the praise, at his Alpha’s approval. He moaned loudly as Thor fucked him hard and deep and everything he ever wanted from every Alpha who slept with him. Thor pinned him to the mattress and growled in his ear and every omega instinct in Steve’s body screamed satisfaction and submission. 

“Alpha, Alpha,” Steve gasped. “Bite me, claim me, please.” 

“So good, so beautiful,” Thor groaned. “Such a perfect omega for me. I cannot wait to knot you, make you mine, fill you with pups someday.” 

“Yes, yes, Alpha,” Steve moaned. Thor pulled out and flipped Steve over. Before Steve could complain about being empty, Thor pushed his cock back into Steve’s body. He bent down and kissed him. It burned with desire and hunger and Steve whined into Thor’s mouth. 

He could feel Thor’s knot forming, catching on the rim of his ass. He moaned as he squeezed around it each time it entered him. It felt massive and the only thing Steve could think of was how good it would feel inside him. Thor growled as he nosed Steve’s scent gland. 

“I’m close,” he groaned. He fucked Steve faster, deeper and Steve clutched Thor’s back. His nails dug grooves into his Alpha’s back and Thor growled possessively as he kept fucking. “I’m going to knot you, fill you up, omega.” 

All Steve could do was moan Thor’s name over and over again until Thor groaned one last time and slammed into Steve’s ass. His knot swelled and they locked together and the next thing Steve knew, Thor’s teeth sank into the flesh of his scent glands. Steve’s blood burned like his veins were charged with lightning. His body never felt more alive. He writhed against Thor’s body, held in place with Thor’s teeth on one hand and his knot on the other. 

“Omega,” Thor growled when he came off. He pulled his hair back, exposing his own scent glands. “Claim what is yours.” 

Steve sank his teeth into Thor’s neck without a second thought. Thor groaned over him and it turned into a possessive, dominant growl. Steve could feel him, feel Thor in the back of his mind, feel his love and lust and happiness at being claimed by Steve. He unlatched his jaws from Thor’s neck and tucked himself against him and purred. 

“Thank you,” he said. Thor rumbled in response and Steve could feel his gratitude. “I love you.” 

“I love you, too, Steve,” Thor murmured. 

The next moment, Steve began to feel hot and the last rational thought that passed through his mind was how much better this heat was going to be than any other he’d ever spent in his life. He felt Thor’s thoughts mirror his own right before he smelled him enter his rut. 

* * *

Their cycles lasted for four days before they finally emerged. Thor, to Steve’s delight, didn’t leave, even to take care of business in Baltimore. He handled preparations to move his business to Saratoga Springs by phone. The first morning that Steve woke up in Thor’s arms without the fog of heat in his mind felt like the most amazing and wonderful thing. 

The fact that it was almost Christmas was just the icing on the cake.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3
> 
> Follow me on [tumblr](https://leisurelypanda.tumblr.com/) for various fandom nonsense!


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